Where we would all like to be

Be careful what you ask for

I have been disturbed by what I have been reading in the media lately. Well to be honest, its not just one thing that disturbs me. But this one thing in particular has been aggravating me for some time now, so I have to get this off my chest. The mantra “End big government” has become the mating call of the Republican Party. The Tea Baggers, who claim to be for the people and who have inadvertently become the hit men for the GOP are pushing it more than most. My question is why is everyone repeating this stupid phrase? Do they know what they are asking for, or like most followers are they just repeating what they are being told, mindlessly and without any kind of thought?

If you have ever been to Mexico, Vietnam, the Philippines, Peru, or any other 3rd world country you would know that a “small” government or a limited government is the worst thing possible. Those places suck. We go there because they are so cheap and our dollar, which is abysmal everywhere else, actually still has some credibility in those places. But as far as the cities themselves, they are god-awful.

Our government is big because our country is big and our needs are ever bigger. I like having my trash picked up every week, the streets cleaned, safe parks, street lights, a working sewer system, freeways that go as far as the eye can see, correctional institutions for bad guys, running water, bridges, paved roads, damns, government regulatory agencies, policemen, fireman, teachers, clean water, mail service, and any and every other thing our government does for us. And now these fuckwads have the audacity to say that they have had enough of government interference?

Let me tell you what is really going on. The Republican Party has become the lapdog of private enterprise. They want to privatize everything. Well unfortunately, the common man doesn’t seem to realize what this means, or the impact it will have on his life. So allow me to give you some examples of how big business works.

I have had every phone carrier known to man, and through it all Verizon has been the best service, and they know it. They charge an arm and a leg because they know they have the most comprehensive coverage in the land. But God forbid you ever have a problem and you need to speak to customer service representative. Well, I had to once and they took the attitude of, “If you don’t like it, leave,” because they know they have the only game on the block that is worth playing. That is what happens in private enterprise. They don’t care about you, there are no “regulations” for what they can and cant do, and they can charge you an exorbitant amount because there is nothing you can do about it.

Need another example? Blockbuster just shut the doors on 85% of their store locations. As a result Netflix brought their prices up. Why, why would they do this? Because they know that you have limited options and are forced to rent from them. If you don’t like it and don’t want to pay, well then, you don’t get to rent movies. They are now the gatekeepers. That is what private industry does, and that is what they want.

Why do you think the Republican Party has been killing education, has been at the core of EPA failure, and is doing everything they can to end regulatory bodies with all of their legislation in the last couple of decades? They are trying to pave the way for private enterprise to take over. This is a game of chess to them.

First, you position your pieces around the board where you want them. So they are attempting to make all of these government agencies look like failures. Then when they have their pieces where they want them, they attack. Now that everything is falling apart, they blame an inefficient government, show us how private industry would do the job better, we then end the government programs, and “BAM” they have a monopoly, and we are at their mercy.

I can’t believe the average American is this stupid as not to see what is happening. These people didn’t rise to power because they are stupid, have scruples, or have morals. They are extremely manipulative, careful planners, and methodical in all of their maneuvering. They have goals they want to achieve, they could care less about you or me, and their decision-making isn’t the lackadaisical “fly by the cuff” manner that most Americans employ. They are classically trained, have studied both history and strategy, and want power and money.

But most importantly, they are playing by a set of rules that you and I are not privy too.

I almost hope that “Big government” does disappear. See what happens to the quality of food you eat with out a government agency regulating quality control. Do you really think that in order to make money companies won’t ship and sell contaminated food? They do it now, even though there are government regulatory agencies in place. But they know that they are so overworked and understaffed that they can’t catch every discrepancy and malfeasance. So they gamble with our lives for their profit.

And what happens when someone breaks into your house? Try calling your friend Tim to come help you, see what happens then. Do you really think Tim, who wouldn’t even drive you to the airport is going to come to your house in the middle of the night when you tell him armed intruders have broken into your house? If you think so, you are even more delusional than I assumed. And what happens when your house catches on fire? Do you really think your neighbors are going to risk life and limb to come save you? These are the same neighbors whose dog shits on your pristine lawn and they don’t even have the decency or etiquette to scoop up that hot load. Yeah, big government is your enemy all right.

There is a reason we have a government. They provide us with resources and fulfill needs that we all use. We might not use them on a daily, weekly, or even yearly basis, but they are there to make our nation, states, and communities a better safer place. We rely on our government, who is actually in our employ from the collective pooling of our tax dollars, to provide services for us without trying to profit from it. If we get rid of our “big” government, we are going to be like every other shitty country on this planet.

We have a good thing going here. I like our national parks, our free education system, our police and fire departments, our roads and assorted infrastructure, and yes the fact that our government provides help for people that can’t help themselves. Our country may have its problems that need to be fixed, but realize that the people causing the problems are also the ones trying to get rid of the agencies they complain about. We are fighting ourselves on two fronts. While we still have the power to vote, and our voices be heard, get these people out of office. NOW!